Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-110
§1120 Murder by Escaped Prisoners
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 51 — HOMICIDE › § 1120
Summary
If a person escapes from a federal prison where they are serving a life sentence and then kills someone, they will be punished under the federal laws for murder and related killings. "Federal correctional institution" means a federal prison. "Term of life imprisonment" means a sentence to spend the rest of one’s life in prison.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1120
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Definition.—
In this section, “Federal correctional institution” and “term of life imprisonment” have the meanings stated in section 1118.
(b)Offense and Penalty.—
A person, having escaped from a Federal correctional institution where the person was confined under a sentence for a term of life imprisonment, kills another shall be punished as provided in section 1111 and 1112.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1996—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “Federal correctional institution” for “Federal prison”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1120
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110